Refrigerator.



G. A; IGKES.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLiOATION FILED MAY 26, 1911.

1,094,072. I Patented Apr.21,1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAIH 150.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

G. A. ICKES.

REFRIGERATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1911. 1,094,072. Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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V G. A. IGKES. REFRIGERATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1911.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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Z Z '9 ATTORNEY GEORGE A. ICKES, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

REFRIGERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 26, 1911.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914. Serial No. 629,662.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. lens, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to refrigerators and has for its principal object to provide an improved water circulating means whereby a lower and more regular temperature can be obtained for sanitary drinking water which is relieved of the dangers of ice contamination.

A further object of this invention is to entirely eliminate all dangers arising from impure water used for drinking purposes as well as domestic purposes, together with the elimination of all dangers arising fro-m gases given off from stored products thereby insuring perfect hygenic refrigeration adaptable to all refrigerators and storage cooling rooms.

With these and many other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described, illustrated and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved in carrying out the objects above indicated are necessarily susceptible to a wide range of structural modification without departing from the scope of the invention, but a practical embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator with parts broken away to show the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved combined tray and gas collector with tray pans covering pipe coils. Fig. 8 is an inverted view of the gas collector showing a slightly modified method of grooving the pan. Fig. l is a perspective view of my piping means. Fig. 5 is an end view of the piping means. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the ice container designed to receive the ice within the ice chamber. Fig. 7 shows a side elevation of my improved refrigerator lining. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the refrigerator with the lining installed. Fig. 11 illustrates the manner of connecting the shelf coil below with the ice box coil above. Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view of one of the tray pans.

Like references designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out this present invention no material change is required in the ordinary refrigerator for its introduction, it being applicable to any and all refrigerators, ice boxes, and cold storage rooms, but for illustrative purposes there is shown in the drawings a box type refrigerator, designated in its entirety by the numeral 10, provided with an ice chamber 11, having therein an ice container 12, in which is placed the water cooling pipes 13. These are arranged to cover the bottom of the ice chamber as well as surround the same.

In the bottom of the ice chamber there is shown aplurality of special fittings 14, 16 and 18 each of which serves to connect the coil to one of the separate shelves shown in Fig. l of the drawings; the fitting 1 1 preferably connecting with the piping for the top shelf at 15, the second fitting 16, connecting with the second shelf at 17, while the third fitting 18 connects with the bottom shelf at 19. Thus giving in a very practical manner, direct means for cold water dis tribution for each shelf or refrigerator compartment. This is one of many operations.

The water circulating means may be de scribed here as follows: ater from the main supply means passes up through pipe 20, thence through the cut-out valve 21, which is shown in its open position, through pipe 22, to the filter 23, which can be of any approved type. After leaving the filter 28 the water flows through pipe at and thence through the coils in the ice container at the top of the refrigerator designated in their entirety by the numeral 25. The top coil of this arrangement of pipes is provided with a T fitting 26, which is connected direct to the multi-way draw-off valve 28 by the pipe 27. The bottom coil of this same portion of piping is provided with a direct connection to the valve 28, by the pipe 29. The object of these separate connections being to provide direct means for drawing off water for drinking purposes at different temperatures, the water contained in the top of the pipe means being obviously of a higher temperature than that contained in the lower coil at the bottom of the ice chamber.

As previously pointed out the special fitting 14, connects by pipe 14 through the fitting or elbow 15 to the coil of pipes on the top shelf in the refrigerator, designated in their entirety by the numeral 30. Should it be desired to obtain drinking water at a different temperature from that contained in pipes 27, or 29, the valve 31, is closed, and valve 32 opened as shown. Water from this set of coils 30 will then by virtue of the pressure in the entire water circulating means, force the water up through pipe 33 to the valve 28, where it is drawn off. Should it be desired to collect water from the lower set of coils 34, the water in the pipe coil 35 at the bottom of the ice retainer, passing down through pipe 18 -to the elbow 19, thence through the set, is readily drawn off through valve 28, by first closing valve 36, as shown, likewise closing valves 37 and 32, and opening valve 38. It is to be noted that this arrangement of piping provides means for maintaining the temperature of the entire interior of the refrigerator at a point slightly above the freezing point. This very important point is effected through the specific manner in which the piping in the various shelves is connected to the coils in the bottom of the ice chamber. The first coil 39 in the ice chamber connecting with the top shelf, and the last coil 35, with the bottom shelf serves to equalize the center of cold water distribution such that the temperature in the bottom of the refrigerator approximates the temperature at the top. This condition is augmented by slightly opening valve 40, permitting a flow of water sufficient to maintain the necessary temperature throughout the refrigerator. This feature provides for curing meats above the freezing point, thus allowing the stage of rigor mortals to pass without first being frozen and at the same time hold the temperature sufficient to prevent putrefaction. In addition to this improved circulating means I have provided my refrigerator with an improved ventilating means, together with foul gas deflectors and collectors, thus providing in a very practical way the necessary precautions to obtain food products that have not been contaminated either by impure ice or by foul poisonous gases.

The gas deflectors consist essentially of a pan 41, which is placed beneath the pipe coils as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and shown in position in Fig. 1. The pan 41 is provided with a plurality of upstanding ears 42, that engage pins or equivalent devices in the refrigerator for holding the same in position. The sides 43 of the pan 41, are provided with rubber or felt strips 44 which make a close fit against the interior of the refrigerator, thus preventing the escape of gas from one compartment to another. The pans or gas deflectors 41 are further provided with grooves 45 or depressions which widen as they extend outward. The purpose of these grooves is to collect any pipe drippings and conduct them to an opening 46, which connects with the waste pipe 47. These gas deflectors I prefer to make such that the water will drain to one side and the gas pass out at the other side or ends through openings 48 in the refrigerator lining 49. This lining 49 is preferably made with corrugations 50, through which the gas after leaving the shelf compartment 51, is conducted upward and passes through the inclined openings 52, thence through the openings 53 in the ice retainer 13 where it is cooled. The tray pans 41* cover the pipe shelves making a smooth surface.

Provision is made to keep the lining, compartments, and ice chamber in a perfectly sanitary condition by means of the connection with the inlet pipe 22, which consists of a valve54, to which is suitably attached a hose 55. For flushing out the lining the nozzle of this hose is placed in the several holes 52 at the top of the lining, and all foreign matter and impurities are easily flushed out through openings 52 into bottom of refrigerator.

.Vitho-ut further description, it is believed that the many advantages of my improved refrigerator will be readily apparent.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator, a casing having an upper ice chamber and a plurality of shelf compartments, a water circulating means including coiled pipes arranged about the walls and over the bottom of the ice chamber, separate pipe coils in each shelf compartment, a pipe connection between each shelf coil and one of the bottom coils in the ice chamber, a multi-way draw-off valve, and valved connections between said valve and certain of the coils.

2. In a refrigerator, a casing having an upper ice chamber and a plurality of shelf compartments, a water circulating means including pipes coiled about the walls and over the bottom of the ice chamber, separate pipe coils in each shelf compartment, a multi-way draw-off valve, pipe connections between said valve and the uppermost and lowermost coils of the piping in the ice chamber, a drain connection with the up ermost coil of the piping in the ice cham er, a pipe connection between each shelf coil and one of the bottom coils in the ice chamber, and. separate valved connections respec- 1o Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

